Vladimir Nabokov

NABOKV-L post 0008697, Fri, 3 Oct 2003 09:42:54 -0700

Subject
Re: Nick Cave & Nabokov: elms & poplars
Date
Body
EDNOTE. NABOKV-L thanks Keith for this noting this LOLITA allusion in a Nick
Cave lyric. Cave's admiration of VN is well known as attested at his URL
below. Congratulations to Keith for spotting the lyric allusion below.

----- Original Message -----
From: "sZ" <keithsz@concentric.net>
To: "Vladimir Nabokov Forum" <NABOKV-L@LISTSERV.UCSB.EDU>
> ----------------- Message requiring your approval (56
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"In the Israel newspaper "Maariv" Cave was asked to tell 9 things that had
changed his life."
http://home.iae.nl/users/maes/cave/lab/81365984.html April 1995.
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1.. Nabokov's "Lolita": "When I was about 12 years old my father read for
me first chapter. It was always one of my favorites. my father said: This is
what literature should be like, son. He was right."
>
> the loom of the land lyrics by nick cave
> From the album henrys dream
>
> It was the dirty end of winter
> Along the loom of the land
> When I walked with sweet Henry
> Hand upon hand
> And the wind it bit bitter
> For a girl of no means
> With no shoes on her feet
> And a knife in her jeans
> Along the loom of the land
> The mission bells peeled
> From the tower at Saint Mary's
> Down to Reprobate Fields
> And I saw (that) the world
> (Was) all blessed and bright
> And Henry breathed softly
> In the majestic night
> O baby please don't cry
> And try to keep
> Your little head upon my shoulder
> Now we'll go to sleep
> The elms and the poplars
> Were turning their backs
> Past the rumbling station
> We followed their tracks
> My hands they burned
> In the folds of his coat
> Breathing milky white air
> From deep in his throat
> O baby please don't cry
> And try to keep
> Your little head upon my shoulder
> Now we'll go to sleep
> I told him the moon
> Was a magical thing
> That it shone gold in winter
> And silver in spring
> And we walked and we walked
> Across the endless sands
> Just me and my Henry
> Along the loom of the land
> O baby please don't cry
> And try to keep
> O baby please don't cry
> And try to keep
> Your little head upon my shoulder
> Now we'll go to sleep
>
> "The elms and the poplars were turning their ruffled backs to a sudden
> onslaught of wind, and a black thunderhead loomed above Ramsdale's white
> church tower when I looked around me for the last time." (from Lolita)
>